KARWAR: The 850 sq km area that covers Project Tiger in Anashi forest in Uttara Kannada district will be extended by adding another 270 sq. km buffer area, according to the forest department.
The conservator of forest has already issued the notification in this regard. Project Tiger has gained importance in the country of late and about 7,748 hectares in Kadra range and 16,333 hectares in Diggi forest range was added to the existing project area. And this 270 sq. km area is already handed over to the wild life division of the forest department, according to Sunil Panwar, deputy conservator of forest.
The villages Kadra, Balemane and Birkol-Sulageri on the left bank of Kali River were added to Project Tiger. According to G K Shet, the range forest officer of Balni in Karwar taluk, he saw a tiger on the road of Balni village during mid-night recently. The importance of the Balni forest is enhanced by the presence of the tigers in the region, he said. For last two years no poaching incidence was reported from the forest. Tigers, panthers, black panthers and bison are being spotted in the Balemane-Sulageri forest, Shet said.
Meanwhile, the forest department with the help of NGOs has taken up a novel programme of creating awareness among the students about wild life protection. About 1,400 students of 52 villages that fall under the Anashi-Dandeli protected forest were made to participate in the nature camp. These students are creating awareness among their family members and this has considerably reduced poaching in the area, Panwar said. At their homes these students were successful in stopping the preparation of food using the meat of the wild animals. Now local people have almost stopped poaching, he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Project-Tiger-gets-more-area-in-Anashi-forest/articleshow/7582859.cms
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Illegal villas in critical wilderness, Subhash Chandra N S, DHNS
The wolf is at Bandipur’s door. Already plagued by immense tourist pressure, the Bandipur National Park — a critical tiger reserve — is now faced with a new threat: Allegedly violating all norms, a gated community resort / villa project is all ready to come up barely 700 meters from the Park.
The project, called “NSB Wild Hunt Resort”, is being developed near Mangala village along the Bandipur-Mudhumalai road, on a patch of 19.13 acres in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). The project potentially interrupts the movement of large mammals (including elephant, tigers and other animals).
The project, which will house over 50 villas and 200 cottages once complete, is allegedly in violation of Section 3 of the Environment Protection Act 1986.
Wildlife experts say the project is right on the path used by animals as a corridor to migrate. Such building constructions require the permission of the State Board for Wildlife, National Board for Wildlife, Ministry of Environment and Forests. Construction work has been initiated without any of the mandatory permits by the Pune-based promoters.
Besides being in the ESZ, the project location comes under the notified buffer zone of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve where construction activities are clearly regulated. Resorts and other properties have been threatening the wildlife habitat in this region for some time now. Some of these resorts are built near natural water bodies and act as barriers for animals when they want to use water, especially during the dry summer months.
The guidelines for ESZs mandate that change of land use from green (orchards, horticulture, etc) to non-green uses need clearance from the Environment Ministry.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B K Singh confirmed that the proposed villa is in the buffer zone where there is tiger and elephant movement. “This is the place known for human-animal conflicts,” he said.
The project, called “NSB Wild Hunt Resort”, is being developed near Mangala village along the Bandipur-Mudhumalai road, on a patch of 19.13 acres in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). The project potentially interrupts the movement of large mammals (including elephant, tigers and other animals).
The project, which will house over 50 villas and 200 cottages once complete, is allegedly in violation of Section 3 of the Environment Protection Act 1986.
Wildlife experts say the project is right on the path used by animals as a corridor to migrate. Such building constructions require the permission of the State Board for Wildlife, National Board for Wildlife, Ministry of Environment and Forests. Construction work has been initiated without any of the mandatory permits by the Pune-based promoters.
Besides being in the ESZ, the project location comes under the notified buffer zone of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve where construction activities are clearly regulated. Resorts and other properties have been threatening the wildlife habitat in this region for some time now. Some of these resorts are built near natural water bodies and act as barriers for animals when they want to use water, especially during the dry summer months.
The guidelines for ESZs mandate that change of land use from green (orchards, horticulture, etc) to non-green uses need clearance from the Environment Ministry.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B K Singh confirmed that the proposed villa is in the buffer zone where there is tiger and elephant movement. “This is the place known for human-animal conflicts,” he said.
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